Saturday, 26 April 2014

Day 16: Thanh My to Kham Duc

Muscles
stiff, I bend my legs to relieve the built up tension that has worked its way
into me overnight.I roll out of bed and
begin the process of shuffling through the mish-mash of things I’ve taken out
of my bag from the night before.

Today we
cycle from Thanh My to Kham Duc.A brief
54 km cycle. Each of us are now
noticeably stronger than when we began.

Mentally.Physically.

We mount and
ride out of Thanh My collectively.8:15
A.M.

I feel the
blood coursing through my body.My
arms.My legs.It takes about 15 minutes for me to get into
rhythm.We perspire profusely; each one
of us knows that it will be hot today.We push.

The route
takes us through beautiful undulating hills, surrounded by tropical flora and
pacific streams.I wish I could show you
just how beautiful it is.The pictures
cannot compare to what we see.What we
feel.Electric.

The
landscape opens up as far as we care to see.We often cycle for many kilometers without seeing a soul.The occasional motorbike or lorry winds
through the roads, joins us for a moment before motoring on.

The heat of
the day finally sets in at 11:00.As we
climb we feel the full brunt of the suns force on our skin.On our minds.It tans some while burning others.Rob and Natasha have both been burned noticeably.

At moments it
becomes almost unbearable.The eyes scan
the horizon for sanctuary from the unyielding sun.Our hearts try to burst from our chests in an
effort to deliver blood to our limbs.Our lungs do their best to supply us with oxygen.

Breathe
in.Exhale.

Stale
bubbles of heat it us.Surround us.Consume us.We constantly find ourselves pushing new limits and finding parts of us
that we did not know existed before.

We crest the
final hill and cruise down the tarmac.Paul’s familiar face manifests in the distance next to the green H2H
flag and the now iconic yellow DHL van.He is grinning brightly.Proudly.Always the first to
midday break.

Our midday
respite takes form in a makeshift waterfall that cascades over the side of a
cliff.The water is cold.Brisk.We kick back and enjoy the momentary rest.The girls take the opportunity for a “girls
of H2H” photo shoot.The guys drink
beer.

The group
convenes one last time before we begin our second leg.It winds through the mountains and tempers
itself as we move towards our destination.Kham Duc.

Caitlin
comes up to me and tells me, “Chris, I’m sweating in places that I didn’t even
know I could sweat.”

My mind
wanders.She looks at me with that stern
look that she doles out so frequently.I
temper my thoughts and smile.

I get it.

We finally
arrive in Kham Duc and cheer as we each come in one by one.Together.

As
individuals we battle the thoughts that pervade our minds.Embrace the challenges that come forth with
the solace of knowing that as a team, we can overcome any challenge.

These days
begin to roll by and coalesce into a single memory.The weeks are fast but the days are
long.I smile as I write this.

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What H2H Is

H2H - Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City - is a charity bicycle ride that first took place in 2009. It is organized by volunteers and the funds raised go towards Vietnamese organizations that work with poor and disadvantaged children. The ride lasts for a month, and takes place every April. If you'd like to learn more, contact h2h.ride@gmail.com.